The invention relates to a spray cap for an aerosol container, comprising a housing and an actuating lever with a tubular projection, which may be inserted in or mounted on a valve tubelet of the aerosol container, according to the preamble to patent claim 1.
Spray caps for aerosol containers are known for example from the European Patent 0 160 816. The spray cap illustrated therein comprises a cap housing and an actuating lever with a tubular projection, which may be inserted in or mounted on a valve tubelet of the aerosol container. In addition there is provided a nozzle, which communicates with the feed channel and the said projection. The known actuating button is integrally formed with the cap housing, in such a way that it is connected at its rear end by means of separating webs having deliberate breakage points, and is connected at the other end by a hinge connection to the housing. For purposes of easier manufacture, the feed channel is designed as a part of the actuating button directly above the hinge connection between the nozzle and the tubular projection. By virtue of the fact that the feed channel, as a part of the actuating button, extends directly above the hinge connection between the nozzle and the tubular projection which may be mounted or inserted in the valve tubelet of the aerosol container, a minimum constructive length of the projection is achieved. By means of the design of the spray cap according to EP 0 160 816, the use of materials is reduced, this above all in the area of the centrally located tubular projection, with the consequence of reduced cooling time and a higher ejection rate of the injection moulding machines used.
Upon actuating the button in accordance with the known spray cap by downward pressure in an axial direction towards the aerosol container, the tubular projection comes into connection with the valve tubelet of the aerosol container, so that fluid or the like located in the aerosol container can be atomised into the environment via the feed channel and the nozzle.
Problems however arise when an atomiser provided with the known spray cap is transported or stored without a protective closure, with the consequence t hat, due to unintentional exertion of pressure on the actuating button, the atomiser is actuated and liquid or the like can emerge in an undesired way. In addition, the known spray cap is not secure enough against use by unauthorised persons, e.g. children.
It is therefore the object of the invention to indicate a spray cap for aerosol containers comprising a housing and actuating lever, which offers a high degree of security in a simple way against undesired or unintentional actuation.